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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-#Sheet 1.

A. ROSCHER. 9 .CIRCULAR KNlTTING MACHINE. No. 494,229. Patented Mar. 28,1893.

(No Model.) ,4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A'. ROSCHER". -v

e CIRCULAR KNITTING MAGHNB. No. 494,229. Patented Mar. 28, 1893.

(No Model.) .4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

A. ROSGHBR. CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE;

Patented Mar. 28, 1893K.

-.--11---22-1-1--.221-------- ----IIIIL (N9 Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

A. ROSOHBR. CIRCULAR KNITTING MAGHIIHIEI.v

No. 494,229. Patented Mar. 28.1893.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBIN ROSCHER, OF CHEMNITZ, GERMANY.

CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 494,229, dated March28, 1893. Application led June 30, 1892. Serial No. 438,630. (No model.)Patented in England June 20, 1891, No. 10,503.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBIN ROSCHER, manufacturer, a subject of the Kingof Saxony, residing at Chemnitz, in Saxony, Germany, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Circular-KnittingMachines, o1which the following is a specilication.

The essential features of the invention are disclosed in British patentgranted me under date of June 20, 1891, No. 10,503.

The invention is a machine for the pro uction of a welt of any desiredwidth on circular knitting-frames with independent needles.

For the production of tubular ribbed-goods which are cut into sectionsand sewed to sleeves of jackets, hose, &c., the cylindrical loom, aswell known, is provided with two rows of needles usually working atright angles to each other. The needles are driven either directly bythe locks of the machine or they are soldered into plates on which theparts of the lock act. Every piece of rib-top is provided with aso-callod double-rib or welt.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is a diagrammatic face view of thefabric. Fig. 2 is ardetail view showing the relative arrangement of thecylinder and rib needles when forming the double welt. Fig. 3 is acentral vertical section through the machine with parts in elevation.Fig. 4 is a side View with portions in section and portions broken away.Fig. 5 is a plan view of the entire ma chine below the upper gearing.Fig. 6 shows a plan of the dial cam-plate for the rib nee-V dles, thelocks therein being shown in dotted lines as out of gear. Fig. 7 is abottom plan View of the rib needle locks or operating cams. Fig. 8 is aview of the cylinder locks, the cylinder being represented in sideelevation as though straightened out.

The machine contains two systems of locks for the movement of theneedles e d Fig. 2 (Sheet l). The cam cylinder is marked M and the ribneedle cam disk NX. Every system consists of a cylindrical lock (forexample M and N, Fig. 8), for the vertically standing so-calledcylinder-needles (d) and a riblock (for example, M', and N for thesocalled rib-needles (e). If the parts of the locks of both systems arein operation, two rows of ribbed fabric are produced by one revolutionof the loom. If a double-rib or welt is desired, then a slack-course aa. Fig. 1 is given to the cylinder needles by sinking their loops deep,while the rib-needles work on in the ordinary manner. The row of ylongstitches, namely the slack course, arising from this, serves to suspendthe ribbed-piece on the needles of the frame, which knits the other partof the fabric. After, say, four to six rows of ribbed fabric, have beenformed the slack course is given yagain (b Fig. 1 so that the tube mayafterward be cut oft at this place. When, again, another row of ribbedfabricisknit,then follows the double-rib which consistsof atubularfabric havingdoublewalls. This is obtained through the action ofonly one lock in each of the systems of locks previously mentioned. Eachsystem has one of its locks as M or N capable of being thrown out ofgear and a second lockv N or M which is stationary and the arrangementis such that the movable lock M of the cylinder needles operatesadjacent to or in conjunction with the stationary lock M of the ribneedles while the stationary lock N of the cylinder needles operateswith the movable lock N of the rib needles. In this way when the movablelocks are thrown out of gear as indicated by the dotted lines in Figs. 6and 8, the two threads shown in Fig. 6 as passing through the oppositethread guides O, O will be caught only by the needles operated by thestationary locks, and as the stationary lock N for the cylinder needlesis located at the left of Fig. 6, the said needles will take the threadof the left hand thread carrier here, but the rib needles will now missthis thread and only take the thread on the other side of the machine atthe carrier O', their stationary lock being located here. As the movablelocks of the cylinder needles are also at this side and now out of gear,the right hand thread will be missed entirely by the cylinder needles.For example, the cylinder needles, d Fig. 2-working to the left knit onethread into a tube of plain fabric, and the rib-needles e, working tothe right, knit the second thread into a tube which hangs within thefirst. After the desired number of rows or courses, both tubes of fabricare united through the common action of all the IOO locks, as in theformation of the rib-fabric,

where all the needles are employed. ThisA finishes the double rib orwelt.

My invention relates to the manipulation and mechanism of the locksthrough which il is possible to produce automatically a broad welt ordouble-rib on the c ylindrical frames. Upon the completion of the weltthe locks M and N' first raise and push .out the needles only partially,so that the tongues fall over back, but the fabric still engages orhangs upon the tongues. Then the needles are driven completely forward,and the meshes come behind the tongues. Vhen the thread is caught theneedles are drawn back through the action of the lock into theirrearward position, the new meshes being drawn through the preceding.

In the lock marked M, Fig. 8- and N', Fig. 7- all there parts of thelock or cams are separated from one another, andare capable of beingshifted singly to produce or interrupt the above mentioned action of theneedles.V On the contrary, in the locks N, Fig. 8 and M', Fig. 7- onlythe depressing and withdrawing cams h4 and n4 are movable. In themovable lock M Fig. 8, Z4, represents the preliminary up throw-canina6the full upthrow cam, and h4 the depressing cam. In the movable rib-lockN', Fig. 7- i4 represents the preliminary outthrow-cam, 7a4 the fulloutthrow cam, and n the withdrawing-cam. Every cylindrical lock M,capable of being thrown out of gear, works with a rib-lock M' whichcannot be thrown out of gear as previously mentioned and likewise thelock N works with N' when all the locks are in working position. In theout of gear position of the parts of the lock M Fig. 8- Ztand mf will bedrawn down and come into the dotted position as before stated. For thevout-of-gear position of the rib-lock, Fig. 7. Z4 and 104 come in thedotted position, Fig. 6. The needles are thus no longer driven out andthe formation of stitches is stopped.

The outthrow and upthrow cams N' and M are formed in the two parts asbefore stated, that is, with the preliminary and full throw parts, inorder to secure a better and more certain action of the needles as tothe opening of their latches and in taking the thread. The thread guides0, O' are provided with latch openers o2, o3 and the preliminaryoutthrow and upthrow parts i4, Z4, are arranged in advance of the latchopeners so that the needles are projected far enough to cause thelatches to be opened fully before the needles pass beneath said latchopeners, but not so far as to free the latches from the loops on theneedles, as this would render liable the closing of the latches againbefore the needles pass under and engage the latch openers. After thispreliminary movement has taken place and the needles with open latcheshave passed below the threaded guides with their latch openers, the fullthrow parts 7a4 m6 of the cams are brought into action and the needlesare then given their full movement to take the thread. Were the needlesprojected suddenly and at one movement they would be liable'also tocarry the web with them and pass under or engage the thread guidesbefore the latches were properly opened and held, but the momentarycessation of the movement described prevents this defective action. Theparts of the cams are separately movable and the means for moving thevarious parts of the locks will now be referred to. On the frame of themachine is placed a horizontal shaft D, Figs. 4 and 5-, called thecam-shaft, which bears a number of cams. The shaft D is set in rotation,only when the welt or double-rib is to be knit, and makes, during theformation of the double-rib only one revolution. In order to set thiscam shaft D, in motion, it is provided with a gear D' which meshes intothe snail wheel D2 of the shaft D2. The snail Wheel, however, is placedloosely on the shaft D3, and in consequence must at times be connectedto the shaft D2 which is constantly rotated with the loom,by thebevel-wheels D5 and DG and spur-wheels C and C, Fig. 4*. The verticalshaft O2 which carries the bevel-wheel D6 moves, by means of the wheelsC3 and C4, the rib-disk A, which contains the grooves for the horizontalneedles. lf the cam-shaft is to perform a revolution the lever g', Figs.4 and 5- is raised by a lug on the pattern chain. This acts upon theconnectingrod g2 and the elbowlever g2, and the last-named one shovesthe rod g4, which with its peg g5 in the groove of the clutch-member D4brings its teeth into gear with those of the member D2. By turning thecam-shaft D the cams thereon come into operation. By this means, firstthe slack course b Fig. 1 will be produced. The cam h draws back thelever h', and by means of the draft-bar h2, turns the upper lock-ring h3Fig. 3- so far forward, that the pegs of the depressing cams h4 Fig.8-resting in oblique slots of this ring are moved, causing the needlesto form a row of longer stitches b. After one revolution ofthe needlecylinder, the ring h3 and with it the cams h4 h4 return to theiroriginal position, and the machine then knits a course of ribbed-fabric.Then follows the throwing out of gear of the movable cams. f

The cam 114, Figs. 6 and 7 of the rib lock N is turned by the cam z',Fig. 5-, lever e', and connecting-rod t2, by means of the crank z2, andlikewise the cam Zat Fig. 7, is moved by the cam Zc, Fig. 5--, leverZo', connecting rod 7a2, and crank las. On the other hand the cam Z4 ofthe cylinder-lock Fig. 8 is pressed down by means of the lifting-disk orcam Z, Fig. 5-, lever Z', connecting-rod Z2 and the elbow-lever Z3 Fig.4., while the cam m6, Fig.

8- is driven down by the lower rock-ring m5 which is provided with anoblique slot. The movement of the lower lock-ring results from the camm, Fig. 5 lever m', connecting-rod m2, lever m2 and link m4.

IOO

TIO

If,-in the formation of the welt, in which each row of needles knits aseparate tube, the working parts of the lock were allowed to standexactly as in the formation of the ribfabric, the stitches would then betoo tight. To avoid this, the cams h4 h4 and 'n4 are moved in thecylinder and rib-locks Figs. 8, and 6. In the cylinder lock the movementof h4 h4 takes place through the ring h3 asin the formation of theslack-course as stated. In the riblock, the cam n Fig. 5- is providedfor this purpose, and produces by means of the lever fn', connecting-rodn2 and crank n3 the proper operation of the parts. After a desirednumber of rows, which depends on the number of the teeth of the wheelD2, Fig. 4:-, the shape of the cams on the shaftD allows theknittingcams previously thrown out of action to be returned (by springshereinafter mentioned) to their active positions and ribbed work isresumed. The first slack-course, a Fig. 1- which is designed only to besuspended on the needles of another loom does belong to the welt, sinceafter this slack course the loom must again form a number of ribbed-rowsuntil the beginning of the double-rib or welt; on this account, the rstslack-course is begun by a special tappet (elevation) of thepatternchain. The arm k7, Figs. Ais and 5 is used to actuate the leverh6 thereby pulling down the rod h5, which is in connection with theelbow lever h', thus actuating the same independently of the cam h, andcausing the rotation of the upper lock ring h3 Fig. 3. f All the leversof the cams are pressed vagainst the same by means of springs (not shownin the drawings).

The machine is driven from ashaft B7 which has a worm wheel Bs meshingwith the gear B2 connected with the cylinder. The machine maybe drivenfrom the line shaft B6 connected to the shaft B7 by the beveled gearsB5, B4. The pattern chain is operated by the ratchet wheel E3, pawl E2,and the lever E.

1. In combination the cam cylinder, the rib needle cam disk, each ofsaid parts having a movable upthrow orout throw cam formed in twoportions adaptedto advance the needles by successive steps, and thestationary cams arranged adjacent, to the movable cams to act inconjunction therewith, the means for operating the portions of themovable cams independently, -the thread guides and the needles,substantially as described.

2. In combination in a latch needle knitting machine, the thread guideshaving latch openers, the needles, and the out throw cams formed insections with means for operating the said sections independently,substantially as described. l

3. In combination the cam cylinder and rib cam disk, the two threadguides, the stat-ionary cams and the movable cams for operating theneedles, the means for operatingthe said movable cams whereby theseparate portions or the welt may be formed by the stationary cams, thesaid stationary cams having adjustable depressing or drawingin portions,with means for adjusting them to vary the length of the stitches whilethe welt is being knit, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

ALBIN ROSCI'IER.

Witnesses:

R. E. JAHN, EUGEN A. TRAIssINE'r.

